On 8/10/2016 2:31 PM, mike wrote: don't know what the reach of a backhoe is but if it's possible to knock them out this way, I would spend the money on that rather than the aggravation of hiring/using a stump grinder.
As per OP .. there is no option to get in a machine .... have a nice new stone patio my side of wall ... so not putting machine on it .... and other side of bank is a 25' drop to a filed ..... too steep to put a machine on. (even if I did have access) ... it is also heavily wooded
300mm? My new hedge has no problems but the plants were big and the ground prepared befor planting. Watering was essential. As I said, Laurels are like weeds and grow just about anywhere.
By using winch - think I'm OK ... I built wall 1m in front of bank, filled first 1m with stone (& French drain, all wrapped in Terram ... and then soil on top .... trees were in the bank behind .... so hoping majority of root is in the bank. With a winch taking it slowly ... I 'may' be OK
However if people with experience think not then I will go the stump grinder option.
I just can't see pulling these trees out without a lot of ground damage and massive force. I'd cut them off at ground level and settle down to digging holes big enough to plant in, in a single row between the stumps. Laurels have more lateral spread, so you won't need two rows. If desperate, buy smaller plants and use a post hole borer SDS? It'll just take a few more years to establish, but water well and add compost.
On 8/10/2016 5:08 PM, Capitol wrote: I just can't see pulling these trees out without a lot of ground
I don't want to use Laurels as "is not suitable for seaside gardens" and I live 500m form the sea. I will use either Oleaster ?
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Griselinia -
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My original idea was to cut them to just below ground level and plant new hedge between - avoid any stump removal (not something I really want to do)....but advice from Hedge suppliers and RHS is that this is unlikely to be successful. You can't plant new hedge close enough ( at least 5 per M) the stump will be in the way ... and the side spread of roots means you will have difficult getting roost of new hedge established.
He also didn't seem to have thought about what would happen if that chain snapped when under tension - i.e. travel quite quickly through the space he was occupying.
I would say 5 per M is unnecessarily close. That's almost every 8"; ridiculous! Probably recommended in order to sell more plants! When I took out my Leylandii hedge several years ago (see my earlier post in this thread) I replaced it with a single row of Eleagnus ebbingei, planted about 2 per M at the closest (every 18" in old money). Neither the stumps nor roots of the Leylandii got in the way. We live in a very exposed position in West Cornwall, probably a little closer to the sea than you and 300ft up, facing SW and getting the full blast of salty winter gales. Eleagnus ebbingei is excellent in that situation, fast growing and tolerant of those harsh conditions. It's not entirely hardy, but as you're on the coast, it should be OK. Other hedging plants you might consider for coastal exposure as well as the Oleaster (Olearia Traversii, which I also have and is good), are Olearia virgata Laxifolia* (finer leaved than the Oleaster), also fast growing, and Quercus Ilex (Holm oak). Although the Holm oak is capable of reaching tree proportions (as are the Oleaster and Eleagnus if they're allowed to), it can be kept clipped to make a tough seaside hedge.
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Nursery just up the road from me
50 5ltr Olearia Laxifolia plants delivered for just £377.08 + VAT Or 15 20ltr Olearia Laxifolia plants delivered for just £327.08 + VAT
Smaller plants will establish better in an exposed site. Almost anything will need staking for the first few years under such conditions.
As per previous response setting fire to 100+ stumps id not an option. Last time I tried burning out a stump it took days, and still left all the serious sized roots behind - just too green to burn.
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